Hub odometer



June 30, 1925.

C. H. VEEDER HUB ODO'METER Filed Nov. 18 1924 EE@ NPQX R l /N VE N TUR A TTU/NVZ V5 rl n s Patented June 30, 1925.

muren STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CURTIS HUSSEY VEDER, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE VEEDER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, F HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A.CORPORATION 0F CONNECTICUT.

HUB onolvm'rnn.

Application filed November 18, 1924. Serial No. 750,513.

To all iti/m it may concer/n.'`

Be it known that I, CURTIS HUssnY VERDER, a citizen of the United States, re-

siding in Hartford, State of Connecticut, 5 have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Hub Odometers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof.

This invention has for its object to improve the construction of odolneters enclosed within the hubs of vehicle wheels, and particularly to reduce the wear and the power required to drive the registering devices and to reduce the liability tothe forcing of heavy lubricant into the register when, as is often the case, the hub cap, beforeit is applied, is filled with heavy lubricant and is then screwed on tightly so that the lubri- 20 cant is subjected to considerable pressure which tends to force it into the register mechanism as well as into the bearings. The invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which it is illustrated and in whicht Figure l is a view in axial section showing a hub cap with the improved odometer in position therein, and the driving device for the odometer.

Figure 2 is a view in end elevation as seen from the right hand in Figure l, partly broken away and in transverse section.

Figure 3 is a developed section of the odometer mechanism.

The hub cap or adapter a, of any suitable form, is secured to and rotates with the vehicle wheel (not shown) which is mounted in the usual manner upon an axle, a portion of which is shown at b. The hub cap a is suitably proportioned and recessed to recei've the register mechanism hereinafter described the recess extending from the in-' terior of the cap outward, the central openclosed by a glass plate c to perm/it the register mechanism to be read from the outside.

The parts of the register mechanism are4 ing in the outer end of the hub cap being" the ring nut is increased so as to prevent it f from coming loose and unscrewing. By this means the register mechanism is protected against the entrance of lubricant from the wheel bearings and all joints are closed tightly against the penetration of lubricant from the wheel bearings. The front or outer plate g formed with sight openings g through 1which the figures on the number discs of the register may be read, is secured by a screw g2 to the end of a stud It, the main frame d being also secured by rivets d2 tothe flange ft of the stud k.

vThe stud supports the tubular driving shaft i which is rotated with the hub cap a and with the vehicle wheel through an arm a" fixed on the tubular shaft and engaged by an arm 'i2 carried by theaXle b. The tubular shaft has a close working fit in the plate e and this joint is further protected by a shoulder 3 on the shaft inside of the plate e and by the hub of the arm on the outside of the plate. i

The tubular shaft is formed with or carries an eccentric 4 for the purpose of oscillating the driving arm kby which motion is imparted to the reduction gearing of the register mechanism, the driving arm being here shown as forked to engage the eccentric. For the purpose of adapting the odometer to wheels of different sizes, a driving shaft z' of such eccentricity as to give' the proper degree of motion to the driving arm c, can be substituted readily or any other suitable means for securing the proper movement of the' driving arm may be provided.

The driving arm 7c engages through a slow speed ratchetl mechanism, such as a ball clutchlc, the hub Z of the first pinion Z of the trn of reduction gearing, such pinion being mounted on a stud Z2 secured to the rear or axle face of the frame d. The pinion l engages a gear m mounted on a spindle m and carrying a pinion m2 which meshes with a gear n on a shaft n which passes through a stuffing bon n2 in the frame and slowly as compared With the first gearr of the reduction gearing. The Wear on the shaft n is therefore reducedv greatly and the leakage of oil is prevented. It Will be observed, also, that the reduction gearing is Wholly on the inner or axle side of the frame d and is protected by the plate e against the forcing in of heavy lubricant, While the register discs o, 0, 02, etc., mounted on spindles p, p', p2, etc., and driven from the gear n3 through suitable transmission devices g, g', g2, etc., mounted on spindles 7, r', r2, struction not necessary to be described herein, lie on the outer side of the frame d and are therefore further protected from the forcing of heavy lubricant.

l claim as my invention:

1. ln a'hub odometer having a hub cap formed With a recess extending from the inner end of he cap outward, a frame supporting the o ometer mechanism arranged in said recess and a protecting plate at the inner side of the frame and odometer mechanisiii, means for securing the plate in position comprising a bevel formed on the inner face of the frame at its periphery, an outwardly inclinedl Harige at the periphery ot' etc., and of usual or suitable con-- the protecting plate fitting the bevel on the frame and means for holding the inclined flange ot the protecting plate against the beveled periphery of the frame consisting of a ring nut having itsinterior face beveled and having its exterior provided with means for engaging the interior of the cap.

2. In a hub odometer having a hub cap recessed to receive the odometer mechanism, a frame supporting the odometer mechanism, a driving shaft, and reduction gearing including a ratchet mechanism mounted on the inner face of the frame, register devices mounted on the outer face of the frame, a stuffing box in the frame, and a power transmitting shaft passed through the stufiing box and having at one end a gear in operative relation with the iediiction gearing and ratchet mechanism and at the other end .a gear in operative relation ivith the register devices.

3. In a hub odometer having a hub cap recessed to receive the odometer mechanism,

a frame supporting the odometer mecha` 

